Several immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have emerged which target the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) interaction in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), such as the anti-PD-1 drugs nivolumab and pembrolizumab [1–4], and the PD-L1 inhibitors atezolizumab and durvalumab [5, 6]. This evidence concerns the gene PDCD1 and non-small cell lung carcinoma.